THE WHO, one of rock’s most legendary and defining bands, will celebrate their 50-year legacy when they bring their “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour to North America in 2015.  “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour will kick off its spring run April 15 in Tampa, FL and include 20 stops throughout the east before wrapping May 30 in Forest Hills, NY.  The fall leg will launch September 14 in San Diego, CA and begin with west coast dates throughout the U.S. and across Canada before concluding November 4 in Philadelphia, PA.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 17 at 10:00 AM (local time) at www.thewho.com.  “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour is being presented by AEG Live.

Set lists on these shows will take  their audience on an “Amazing Journey” through THE WHO’s entire career, from the band’s early days to classic albums including WHO’S NEXT, TOMMY, QUADROPHENIA, MY GENERATION and LIVE AT LEEDS, through the present day.

Citi is the official credit card of “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour.  Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets for the U.S. dates beginning Monday, October 13 at 10:00 AM through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

Exclusive VIP packages for the “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour includes reserved tickets with amazing seats, special access to THE WHO’S VIP preshow soundcheck, pre-show VIP parties, autographed limited edition memorabilia and much more.  Additional details on tickets and VIP packages can be found at www.thewho.com.  In addition, $1 from each ticket sold on “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour will benefit Teen Cancer America (www.teencanceramerica.org).

“From the band’s first hit single ‘I Can’t Explain’ to pioneering the rock opera with Tommy, The Who is one of the most influential and storied bands of our time,” said Jennifer Breithaupt, SVP of Entertainment Marketing for Citi. “This will be one of the most anticipated tours of 2015 and we are delighted to be able to offer Citi cardmembers early access to see this legendary band perform.”

The classic songs fans can expect to hear on “THE WHO HITS 50!” tour will appear on the band’s forthcoming WHO HITS 50! collection.  Set for an October 27, 2014 release on Geffen/Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), this definitive collection of THE WHO’s greatest tracks--from their very first recordings as The High Numbers right up to the present day with the brand new track “Be Lucky”--is being released to coincide with the band’s 50th anniversary tour.

The show--described by PETE TOWNSHEND as--“Hits, Picks, Mixes and Misses” will see the band play all their classic anthems as well as tackling deeper cuts from their catalog.

“This is the beginning of the long goodbye,” says ROGER DALTREY of the upcoming tour.

PETE TOWNSHEND commented, “Trying to stay young. Not wearing socks. Growing a great big Woodcutter's beard. Might even wear a check shirt on stage and get a tattoo of a Union Jack. Always a fashion victim. But under no illusions. We are what we are, and extremely good at it, but we're lucky to be alive and still touring.”

THE WHO have sold over 100 million records since forming in 1964; they brought together four different personalities and in effect produced a musical hurricane.  Each of them was a pioneer. Wildman drummer Keith Moon beat his kit with a chaotic elegance; stoic bassist John Entwistle held down the center with the melodic virtuosity of a solo guitarist; raging intellectual Pete Townshend punctuated the epic universality of his songs with the windmill slamming of his fingers across his guitar strings; and Roger Daltrey roared above it all with an impossibly virile macho swagger. They exploded conventional rhythm and blues structures, challenged pop music conventions, and redefined what was possible on stage, in the recording studio, and on vinyl. As they enter their 50^th year, the band is still going strong, winning rave reviews for their performances of QUADROPHENIA in 2013.

THE WHO’s 2015 North American tour dates are as follows: